Process for forming metal into flakes.



PATENTED APR. 14, 1908 P. F. GOWING'.

mocsss FOR FORMING METAL INTO FLAKES.

APPLIGATION FILED APE. 5.1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFT@E.

PERCY F. COWING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS FOR FORMING METAL INTO FLAKES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY FboTE CowING, a citizen of the United States,and a-resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Forming Metal intoFlakes, of which the following is a specification.

One of the objects of my invention is to flatten small particles ofmolten metal so as to produce them in flaky form.

Another object is to form such flakes rapidly and cheaply.

Other objects will appear from the hereinafter description.

The process will now be described as carried out by one formof-apparatus, such as is shown, described and claimed in my PatentNumber 12,568 reissued November 27, 1906, for improvements in shotmaking machines, although it is to be understood that my invention isnot confined to the operation of this or any other specific apparatus.

In the present process the metal, including the dross issubjected, whilein a fluid mass to centrifugal action by which the heavler material isthrown outward. This heavier material is confined,

'ugal action and from which it small particles except at one, lacesthrough y the centrifis emitted in (the metal flowing through the smallplaces in a continuous stream and breaking up into small particles whenit leaves the same, or issuing from the small places referred to insuccession of small or preferably a series, of small wlnch it isforcibly expelled particles): and the movement of these particles issuddenly stopped before they ave become chilled, so as to cause them toflatten into small flakes. The metal thus forcibly projected, in theform of apparatus herein illustrated, is taken from a portion of themass which is, located at a distance above the bottom and somewhat belowthe top of the mass, and immediately prior to its expulsion through thesmall places referred to the metal flows through a passage from whichthe dross is held from entering, being thus further separated from thedross.

Referring to the drawing: the figure is a vertical section of anapparatus by which my Iprocess may be carrled out.

e part marked 1 on the drawing represents a rotary shaft driven by amotor 2. Connected to this shaft is a vessel 3 adapted Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed April 5, 1906.

, these holes, but it is Patented April 14, 1908.

Serial No. 310,082.

to receive the molten metal to be operated on and having considerabledepth as compared with its diameter, or greater length than diameter.This vessel is open at one end and has an inturned flange 3 providedwith an opening 3' through which a funnel 4 projects into the vessel.The wall of the vessel near the turn of the flange is provided with aseries of small openings or holes 3 which are'located near one end ofthe vessel, and at a considerable distance from the other end thereofand preferably below the level of the metal. I have shown a single rowof apparent that any desired number of holes or slits or rows of holesor slits may be used. They are sufliciently small to emit the metal infine particles only. The vessel 3 is provided with the baflle 5 securedto the inturned flange 3 by arms 5*, and is formed with an opening 5*.This bafile extends nearly to the inner wall of the vessel 3, leaving anarrow passage between the baffle and the inner wall of the vessel.

The vessel 3 is surrounded by a jacket 6 of non-conducting material,such as fire brick, provided with an opening 6 through which the shaft 1projects. It is also provided with an opening or recess 6 into whichfits a gas pipe 7 provided with openings or burners 7 8 is a wall whichsurrounds the rotary vessel 3 and against which particles of metalstrike to flatten them.

9 is a cone which extends underneath the wall 8 and inclines uptowards'the vessel .3, the lower part of the cone extending beyond thewall 8.

10 is a trough or receptacle placed adjacent to and just below the loweredge of the cone 9 to receive the particles of flaky metal from the coneas they fall from the wall 8 onto the cone.

The operation of this apparatus to carry out my process is as follows:The motor 2 is put in operation torotate the shaft 1, and the vessel 3secured to the shaft is also'rotated at the desired speed. Moltenmetalis poured into the funnel 4 throu h which it runs, and passes downthrough the opening 5 in the aflie and into the vessel 3. The rotationof the vessel 3 causes the molten metal to flow towards the open endthereof and to be thrown or projected through the openings or holes 3 inthe wall of the vessel in streams. After the metal passes through theseholes, it breaks up into small particles 11" which are forced againstthe wall 8 before they become chilled. When these articles in theirmolten condition hit the wa ls they are flattened and are formed intoflakes 11, which fall down upon the to of the cone 9 and then slide downthereon into the receptacle 10. The size of the flattened articles orflakes and the thinness thereof epends u on the size of the openings inthe vessel 3, the force at which they are projected against the wallobstruction, and the fluidity of the particles when they strike theobstruction.

It may be stated that the jacket 6 and the burners 7 are provided tokeep the metal in.

the vessel hot and in a fluid state.

The baffle 5 is used to separate the dross or lighter impure materialfrom the molten metal operated upon. It is apparent that the heaviermolten metal during the rotation of the vessel 3 will be thrown towardsthe wall of the vessel and be forced toward the open end of said vessel.The baffle plate 5 will keep the dross, which is on the inner side,back, while the pure metal will be forced through the passage 6 betweenthe edge of the baflie and the wall of the vessel. If there should be ametal of which the dross or other like impurities are heavier than themetal itself so that the impurities will be thrown to the walls of thevessel, leaving the metal in the center, the baffle plate will be soarranged as to keepthe impurities from reaching the openings in the wallof the vessel, but will permit the metal to be forced to the openingsand projected therethrough.

I desire it to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention erein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is '1. The process which. consists in forciblyprojecting molten metal through apertures adapted to emit only smallparticles of the metal, and suddenly arresting the movement of theparticles before they become chilled or solidified.

2. The rocess which consists in first separating mo ten metal from itsdrossfsecond dividing the metal freed from dross into small articles byforcibly projecting the same t ough passages adapted to emit only smallparticles, and finally suddenly arresting the movement of the particleswhile in their molten condition.

3. The process which consists in forcibly expelling om a mass of metalsmall particles thereof taken from below the top of the mass, andsuddenly arresting the movement of the particles before they becomechilled or solidified.

4. The process which consists in forcibly expelling from a mass of metalhaving considerable depth as compared. with its diameter, smallparticles thereof taken from a place at a'distance from the bottom ofthe mass, and suddenly arresting the movement of the particles beforetheybecome chilled or solid1fied. v

5. The rocess which consists in forcibly expelling om a mass of metalhaving considerable depth as compared with its diameter, small particlesthereof taken from a place at a distance from the bottom and below thetop of. the mass, and suddenly arresting the movement of the particlesbefore they become chilled or solidified.

6. The process which consists in first separating molten metal from itsdross, second forcibly expelling the metal through passages adapted toemit small particles of metal only and, third, forcibly arresting themovement of the particles before they have .become chilled orsolidified.

7. The process which consists in melting metal, se arating the drosstherefrom by centrifuga force, projecting the metal by centrifugalforce, causing said projected metal to separate into particles, andcausing said particles to strike an obstruction before they becomechilled or solidified, whereby the said particles are flattened andformed into flakes of metal.

8. The process which consists in confining amass of molten metal in avessel having an emission aperture or apertures of small size,subjecting the same to centrifugal force whereby the dross is se aratedfrom the metal and the metal orcibly projected through the emissionaperture or apertures in a series of small particles, and finallysuddenly arresting the movement of these particles before they havebecome chilled or solidified.

j 9. The process which consists in centrifugally freeing a metal fromits dross, dividing the metal into fine particles and forciblyprojecting it in the form of such fine particles against an obstructionby which the particles are flattened and formed into flakes of metal.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at the city, county andState of New.

